Water Balloon Volleyball
Invite the neighbors for this one! Set up a volleyball net (or tie a rope across the yard to signify the net) and be sure to have lots of water-balloons on hand. You have to play in a team of 2, two people hold either ends of a beach towel, they use the beach towel to catch and catapult the volleyball across the net. You can have as many sets of 2 as you want, and make your won rules to make it more fun.

Plant a Garden
Get your children involved in planting your families garden. Give them a few tomato plants to take care of on their own. Giving them the responsibility to water, weed and pick the ripened produce will be an excellent learning experience. For smaller children, you might consider starting them out with flower seeds to plant and watch them grow. They can water the little seedlings while you tend to the rest of the garden plants. For more information on getting kids involved in gardening, read our MommyChic article "Little Green Thumbs."

Outdoor Play House
Use as many appliance boxes as you can find (ask your local stores for leftover boxes) to create an outdoor play house. Cut the boxes to connect them, cut out windows and use markers or crayons to decorate them!

Summertime Scavenger Hunt
Get the neighborhood children involved, or invite over your child’s primary class. Set them out on a neighborhood scavenger hunt for the following items (modify if needed):

Lady bug/lightning bug 3 Dandelions Popsicle sticks 1 Bottle of Sunblock Pinwheel

Sunglasses Sprinkler Beachball Glass of Lemonade Bottle of blow bubbles

Seashell Beach towel Balloon Handfull of sand Bug spray

For teenagers, divide the group into small teams, give each item on your list a point value - the harder the item to find, the more points it gets - then give each team a digital or Polaroid camera to take pictures of each item they find. The team with the most points in the least amount of time, wins.

Backyard Camp Out (or Living Room camp-out depending on your climate)
Set up a tent and tell ghost stories around the barbeque. Start the evening with FOIL DINNERS and top it all off with BANANA BOATS.

Banana Boats:
1 banana with skin on, slice down the length of the banana (be sure to cut deep but not all the way through). Fill the slit with marshmallows, chocolate chips or any other small treat that your kids might like. Cover the banana with foil and place in warm BBQ for about 10 min (long enough to melt the chocolate and marshmallows).

At Home Vacation
Take a few days off to play tourist in your own town. If you're not sure what there is to see, call your local Chamber of Commerce or visit your states website for travel and tourism information. Here are a few suggestions:

• Museums
• State Parks and Nature Centers
• Local Farms - all across the country farmers are opening up their farms to the public. To learn more about what's available in your area visit www.farmstop.com
• Local Landmarks and Historical markers.
• Candy Factories, bakeries, fire stations, local newspaper, or other places that give public tours.

Plan some meals out, a few free activities, picnics, and special meals at home. Let the kids buy a few souvenirs. And consider getting a room at a local hotel that has an indoor pool and let the kids swim and jump on the beds.

At Home Drive-In
Grab as many extension cords as you can! Bring the TV and VCR outside and watch your families favorite movies. Sit on the back lawn with blankets and lots of popcorn. It's a great way to enjoy the cool summer evenings!

Whatever you do this summer, remember to have fun and wear your sunscreen!